# How to Install Active Directory Certificate Services Windows Server 2012

> URL: https://www.atlantic.net/vps-hosting/how-to-install-active-directory-certificate-services/ | Published: 2015-05-22 | Updated: 2026-01-15 | Author: Jose Velazquez

## Introduction

This how-to will walk you through Install Active Directory Certificate Services Windows Server 2012

Active Directory Certificate Services or ADCS is a feature that provides certificates for user authentication. This feature aims to increase the network’s security by using the certificate that holds the users’ information and Private keys assigned.

## Install Active Directory Certificate Services

Open the **Server Manager** from the taskbar.

From **the Server Manager**Dashboard, select **Add Roles and features**. This will launch the Roles and Features Wizard, allowing modifications to be performed on the Windows Server 2012 instance.

![Add roles and features](https://www.atlantic.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/dns1.jpg)

Click “Add roles and features.”

 

Note: If it’s the first time you have entered this Wizard, you will get a **Before you Begin** page. Review it, and you can check the Skip this page by default box,  then click **Next.**

 

Select **Role-based or Feature-based** Installation from the Installation Type screen and click **Next**.

![Install Active Directory Certificate Services Windows Server 2012-2](https://www.atlantic.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/active1.jpg)

Select “Role-based or feature-based installation.”

 

You will now have the **Select Destination Server** page. Your server will be selected by default, so you can click **Next**to continue.

![Install Active Directory Certificate Services Windows Server 2012-3](https://www.atlantic.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/active2.jpg)

Select the server you would like to install on.

 

![Install Active Directory Certificate Services Windows Server 2012-1](https://www.atlantic.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/active3.jpg)

Select “Active Directory Certificate Services”

The Select Server Roles page appears. Select the **Active Directory Certificate Services** check box, and then click **Next**.

Click **Next** in the **Features** Screen/ click **Next** in the **Active Directory Certificate Services** Screen/ Select any additional Role in the Role Services(I selected all of them just in case I need them later down the road) and click Next.
 ![Install Active Directory Certificate Services Windows Server 2012-2](https://www.atlantic.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/active4.jpg)

![Install Active Directory Certificate Services Windows Server 2012-3](https://www.atlantic.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/active5.jpg)

Click Install

Confirm your Installation and click **Install**.

![Install Active Directory Certificate Services Windows Server 2012-4](https://www.atlantic.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/active6.jpg)

Active Directory Certificate Services is installed on the left side of the server manager.

You can now see that the **Active Directory Certificate Services** role is currently installed in your **Server Manager** Screen.

Congratulations! You have just Installed Active Directory Certificate Services in Windows Server 2012. Thank you for following along in this How-To, and feel free to check back with us for any new updates.

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